Spider Cafe
by Phantom-Shalnark
Summary: Miyuka finds that the little one she guards might just have his fate planned out for him, thanks to the plan of a young leader. R


"Miyuka! Miyuka!" A loud voice echoed from the Cafe door. Miyuka wiped her dirty hands on her blue dress and apron, and looked up. Her Cafe was empty during the afternoon, so hearing someone's voice was strange.

Standing outside her door was a young boy wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts, his black hair reaching down to the back of his shoulders. Miyuka smiled, and stood up, brushing back her bleach blonde hair from her face.

"Hello, Kururo. Is something wrong?" Kururo was a young boy who had been living on the outskirts of town by himself for as long as she could remember. He was a regular customer for her hot chocolate and little vanilla cakes.

Kururo grinned. "I have great news!" He ran up to her, and pointed his thumb at his chest. "Guess who's going to start the Phantom Troupe?" Miyuka blinked a few times. "Um...you're starting a band? I didn't know you had musical talent."

Kururo chuckled. "No, silly! The "Phantom Troupe" isn't a band, it's a gang of thieves! And I'm going to be the leader!" He jumped up onto the nearest stool, and sat cross legged. Miyuka placed her hands on her hips.

"Now where did this come from?" She knew Kururo stole. Who didn't in Meteor city? She herself had been known to pickpocket, but all of it was for survival. The sudden thought of Kururo starting a band of thieves was out of the ordinary.

Kururo smiled. "Nobody cares for Meteor city, and barely anyone outside of the city knows we exist. So, I'm going to make us known!" He stood up on the stool, and crossed his arms. "I'm putting Meteor city on the map!"

"Map! Map!" Miyuka looked over behind her to see a small figure waddle out into the light from the back door, which led into her small apartment. Kururo jumped down and laughed. "Hey there, Shalnark."

Shalnark was the infant that Miyuka had found two years ago in a small, weaved basket. Since no one else had wanted him, and the city governors hadn't found him, she took him in. He was very easy to care for, and with her business, taking care of his needs was no problem.

Shalnark's blonde hair was long, reaching the top of his neck. He was wearing a white two piece outfit under his green body tunic and slippers, matching his large, green eyes. He was still getting the hang of walking on his own, since so many people insisted on carrying him.

Kururo bent down on his knees in front of Shalnark, who stopped and looked up at him. "What's up?" Shalnark clapped his hands, smiling as usual. "You, you up!" Miyuka smirked. "Smart boy, Shal." Suddenly, Kururo snapped his fingers.

"I know! I want the Phantom Troupe to have thirteen members, like...like...like a spider!" Miyuka frowned. "Why thirteen members?...And how does a spider have thirteen parts?" Kururo smiled at her, his brown eyes full of excitement.

"It has to have thirteen members! My spider will have twelve legs, and I'll be the head. Since thirteen is an unlucky member, all of our enemies will never win!" He looked back down at Shalnark. "You can join, too, Shalnark!...But, since you're so small, you'll have to be one of the front legs."

Shalnark giggled and jumped up and down. "Join, join, I join, too!" Miyuka sighed. "Kururo, you could at least wait until he's old enough to even understand what a spider is." Kururo blushed. "Oops, right, sorry."

He stood up. "Alright, then. Once Shalnark can walk properly, talk in full sentences, and memorize names...and learn what a spider is, for that matter, he can join, right?" Miyuka nodded her head. She couldn't keep Shalnark locked up in the cafe forever.

"Yes, but only when he's ready, alright?" Kururo nodded. "Fine!" He grinned at Shalnark, who was at the moment walking in circles trying to catch a terrified moth. "Once you're bigger, Shalnark, we'll make you strong!"

Shalnark stopped and glanced up at Kururo, and laughed. "Strong me!" He squealed with delight and jumped around – only to fall down hard on his stomach. He burst into tears, and Miyuka sighed again, picking him up.

"You'll be waiting a while there, Kururo." Shalnark squirmed around, crying. Kururo moaned. "How long?" Miyuka rolled her eyes, when another figure entered the Cafe. "There you are, Kururo!" Kururo turned around.

Standing just inside the store, a young girl about Kururo's age with blonde hair hugging her face was tapping her one foot against the wooden panelling, her grey dress covered in dust. Kururo made a small 'eep!" sound, and ducked behind Miyuka.

The girl stormed in, her arms crossed. "I was waiting for you for two hours outside the market place! Where on Earth were you?!" Kururo peeked out from behind Miyuka. "Sorry! I completely forgot about that, Pakunoda."

Pakunoda sighed. "Honestly, you boys." Shalnark wiped his wet eyes, and hushed his crying, now bouncing in Miyuka's arms and pointing at the new girl. "Girl, girl." Kururo smiled. "That's right, Shalnark! This is Pakunoda."

She smiled. "That's right. I'm Kururo's girlfriend." Kururo's cheeks went a bright red. "Eh?! Wait a minute!" Pakunoda laughed. "Come on, silly. Don't you want to tell Feitan about your fabulous idea?" With that, she ran out of the store. "Oh, and we still have to buy things at the market, so hurry!"

Kururo stood still for a moment, his eyes wide. Miyuka nudged him on the shoulder. "Girlfriend, huh? Is she going to be another front leg, too?" He shook his head, and glared at her. "She's not my girlfriend! She's my friend, who's a girl, got it?" Shalnark looked over at Kururo, and smiled. "Pappa." He pointed out the door. "Mama." He then clapped his hands together. "Smoochy."

Kururo groaned. "Oh, boy. We'll really have to fix that when he's older." He began to walk out of the Cafe. "Oh! Miyuka," He turned around, "...Do you think the Phantom troupe will be big? You know, be known to people?"

Miyuka thought for a moment in silence as Shalnark chewed on some of her loose hair. She didn't know how to tell Kururo, but a bunch of children trying to make it in the big world from Meteor city? "...You'll do just fine. I bet everyone will know you." She put on her best fake smile.

Kururo grinned, and ran out, waving goodbye. Miyuka smiled. "Who, knows." She took the hair out of Shalnark's mouth, and placed him on the ground. "Go on off to your room, now, to play." Shalnark smiled. "Spider!" He ran off, screaming and running from the fake, giant spider that was chasing him. Miyuka sat down on the stool.

"...The Phantom Troupe. Heh, the kid's got big dreams."


End file.
